The Department of Biological Sciences offers work leading to the Doctor of Philosophy and the Master of Science degrees in Biological Sciences. Areas of research include cell biology, development, ecology, evolution, genetics, molecular biology, neurobiology, and plant biology. The Interdepartmental Concentration in Neuroscience is available to qualified PhD students.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy

Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. It is recommended that prior academic work include courses in biological sciences beyond the introductory level to provide sufficient preparation for the proposed area of study. In addition, two semesters of organic chemistry, two semesters of physics, and mathematics through introductory calculus are recommended. Admitted applicants may be required to remove specific course work deficiencies by enrolling in undergraduate classes during their first year.

Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study.

Letters of Recommendation Three required, preferably from faculty who are familiar with the applicant’s recent work.

Personal Statement A one- to three-page statement of the applicant’s professional goals and reasons for wishing to attend graduate school is required.

Deadlines The application deadline for this program is earlier than the Graduate College deadline; contact the program for information on current deadlines.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Science

Two tracks are available, research or course work. (Note: Until further notice, no new students will be admitted to the course work track.)

Research Track

Minimum Semester Hours Required 32.

Course Work At least 24 credit hours of 400- and 500-level courses are required. A minimum of 9 credit hours of 500-level courses must be letter-graded courses (A to F), not project (BIOS 597), thesis (BIOS 598), independent study (BIOS 596), or seminar courses which are graded Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U).

Comprehensive Final Examination Required. The examination typically includes an oral presentation and defense of the research thesis.

Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Thesis required. No other options are available.

Thesis: Students must earn at least 5 credit hours of BIOS 598.

Course Work Track

Minimum Semester Hours Required 32.

Course Work At least 24 credit hours of 400- and 500-level courses are required. A minimum of 9 credit hours of 500-level courses must be letter-graded courses (A to F), not project (BIOS 597), thesis (BIOS 598), independent study (BIOS 596), or seminar courses which are graded Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U).

Comprehensive Final Examination Required. The examination typically includes an oral presentation of the project.

Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Project required. No other options are available.

Project: Students must take at least 5 semester hours of BIOS 597.

Doctor of Philosophy

Minimum Semester Hours Required 96 from the baccalaureate.

Course Work At least 22 credit hours of 400- and 500-level courses are required. A minimum of 8 semester hours of 500-level courses must be letter-graded courses (A to F), not project (BIOS 597), thesis (BIOS 599), independent study (BIOS 596), or seminar courses which are graded Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U).

Preliminary Examination Required.

Dissertation Required. Students must earn at least 32 hours in BIOS 599.

Interdepartmental Concentration in Neuroscience

In addition to meeting the above requirements, qualified PhD students interested in pursuing a concentration in neuroscience may complement their studies through the Interdepartmental Concentration in Neuroscience. Refer to Interdepartmental Concentration in Neuroscience in the Graduate College section for more information.